Article of footwear having a textile upper

• US 9,907,351 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2017
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Dua, Bhupesh, Thomas, Edward Nathaniel
• Primary Examiner(s): BAYS, MARIE D
• Application Number:
  US15/664,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20170325537A1
• Time in Patent Office: 218 Days
• Field of Search: 36 84, 36 9 R, 36 45, 36 47, 36 48
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/04 braided, knotted, knitted or crocheted
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0205 characterised by the material material of the lining A43B23/07, material of toe stiffeners or heel stiffeners A43B23/08
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/021 Leather
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0215 Plastics or artificial leather
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0235 Different layers of different material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/026 Laminated layers
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0265 having different properties in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0275 with a part of the upper particularly rigid, e.g. resisting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/028 Resilient uppers, e.g. shock absorbing
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/04 Uppers made of one piece; Uppers with inserted gussets
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/042 Uppers made of one piece one piece slippers A43B3/106; one piece sandals A43B3/124
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/08 Heel stiffeners; Toe stiffeners
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/085 in the upper
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/14 with foot-supporting parts
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/1495 with arch-supports of the bracelet type
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 9/02 Footwear stitched or nailed through
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 111/00 Shoe machines with conveyors for jacked shoes or for shoes or shoe parts
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 8/00 Machines for cutting, ornamenting, marking or otherwise working up shoe part blanks pulling-over or lasting A43D9/00 - A43D23/00; making or fastening soles, heels or welts A43D25/00 - A43D83/00
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 8/02 Cutting-out cutting in general B26D, B26F; of leather articles in general C14B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/102 with stitch pattern D04B1/06, D04B1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/24 : wearing apparel
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 21/20 : specially adapted for knitting articles of particular configuration
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 21/207 : Wearing apparel or garment blanks
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/043 : Footwear

Abstract

An article of footwear and a method of manufacturing the article of footwear are disclosed. The footwear may include an upper and a sole structure. The upper incorporates a textile element with edges that are joined together to define at least a portion of a void for receiving a foot. The textile element may comprise one or more of an inner layer, outer layer, or intermediate layer of the upper. Various warp or weft knitting processes, including flat knitting, may be utilized to form the textile element.

Claims

1. An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising:

a flat knit textile element having flat knit edges free of surrounding textile structure such that the flat knit edges are not surrounded by textile structure from which the flat knit textile element must be removed, at least one flat knit edge being a curved flat knit edge; and

an exterior layer and an interior layer, the interior layer being at least partially formed from the flat knit textile element and comprising a material having moisture-wicking capabilities.

2. The upper of claim 1, wherein the upper further comprises an intermediate layer between the exterior layer and the interior layer.

3. The upper of claim 1, wherein the flat knit textile element forms at least a portion of a lateral side, a medial side, and an instep region of the upper.

4. The upper of claim 1, wherein at least two flat knit edges are joined together form a seam extending longitudinally along a lower region of the upper.

5. The upper of claim 4, wherein the seam extends vertically in a heel region of the upper.

6. The upper of claim 1, wherein the flat knit textile element has a plurality of different knitted textures formed by varying at least one of knit construction and yarn type.

7. The upper of claim 6, wherein the flat knit textile element has a first area with a first knit construction and a second area with a second knit construction.

8. The upper of claim 7, wherein the first knit construction includes apertures that extend through the flat knit textile element.

9. The upper of claim 6, wherein at least one knitted texture is substantially smooth.

10. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper comprising;

a flat knit textile element having flat knit edges free of surrounding textile structure such that the flat knit edges are not surrounded by textile structure from which the flat knit textile element must be removed, at least one flat knit edge being a curved flat knit edge; and

an exterior layer and an interior layer, the interior layer being at least partially formed from the flat knit textile element and comprising a material having moisture-wicking capabilities; and

a sole structure secured to the upper.

11. The article of footwear of claim 10, wherein the upper further comprises an intermediate layer between the exterior layer and the interior layer.

12. The article of footwear of claim 10, wherein the flat knit textile element forms at least a portion of a lateral side, a medial side, and an instep region of the upper.

13. The article of footwear of claim 10, wherein at least two flat knit edges are joined together form a seam extending longitudinally along a lower region of the upper.

14. The article of footwear of claim 13, wherein the seam extends vertically in a heel region of the upper.

15. The article of footwear of claim 10, wherein the flat knit textile element has a plurality of different knitted textures formed by varying at least one of knit construction and yarn type.

16. The article of footwear of claim 15, wherein the flat knit textile element has a first area with a first knit construction and a second area with a second knit construction.

17. The article of footwear of claim 16, wherein the first knit construction includes apertures that extend through the flat knit textile element.

18. The article of footwear of claim 15, wherein at least one knitted texture is substantially smooth.